[Rajeevraj]

Had a question on how number of punctures impact Tyre life and replacement timelines. Went through a few threads in this section and although the topic has been touched upon in a few posts, could not find a clear cut answer. Hence this thread.

I seem to have been quite unfortunate with punctures on my Vento (Or maybe the Apollo Alnacs on the Vento are more prone to punctures). In the course of 2.5 years and 27K Km's, I have had 5-6 punctures across my front tyres. Today again noticed a slow reduction in pressure and it turned out to be another leak from an earlier puncture site.

A typical replacement schedule from what I have read here is 30-35K and/or 5 years. How does the number of punctures play into this? I assume each puncture and fix weakens the tyre to some extent. Is there any such thing as too many punctures?

Looking forward to inputs from the experts.

[pganapathy]

Yes, a puncture will weaken the tyre to some extent. More pertinently, it is the damage driving on less air or even worse a flat tyre that really damages your tyres. This is far worse than spotting a puncture when your car is stationary.

I assume there should be a limit to how many punctures you can repair before changing the tyre but I highly doubt somebody will reach that limit. Unless of course all the punctures are in a concentrated spot thereby weakening that spot and risking a blowout while driving.

[sgiitk]

The basic fact is that 90% punctures occur in the last 10% of a tyres life.

I doubt any of us are likely to be in a situation where the punctures become a hazard to the tyre. Very high speed or speciality tyres are a different matter. I remember reading in the UK, about these. You drive your Porsche out of a showroom, go over a loose nail, and goodbye to £x00.

However, if you are unlucky to have multiple punctures in about the same place then watch out. Be even more careful if these are near to the sidewalls.

[shankar.balan]

Tyres tend to puncture more often towards the end of their lives.
My OEM Goodyears gave me decent service but over the last one year until I changed them a month or so ago, I ve experienced 3-4 punctures and leaks in one or two of the four tyres.
One of the reasons that accelerated my purchase of new tyres was this.
Plus, in the case of these tubeless tyres, the air tends to leak slowly and over a day or two you see the tyre sagging for lack of air pressure.
With the kind of roads we drive on, and all the construction activity around, punctures are par for the course. The older and more well used and weaker the tyre, the more the likelihood of punctures.

[deetjohn]

There is no absolute count on how many punctures are too many. I guess it depends on the place (a sidewall puncture is far riskier than two or three on the tread) and the method used for patching.

Are you losing tyre pressure with Apollo Alnacs even when there is no puncture? The Acelere is notorious for losing air pressure, I have first hand experience but those were on steel rims. A tyre with low pressure will pick up punctures quite fast. Especially at the front as the wheel is loaded.

I would suggest slapping on a better brand at 30 or 30k depending on your comfort level. And maintain a slightly higher air pressure till that time to avoid any more punctures.

[tibby]

I concur with fellow members here - assuming similar driving conditions, a tyre will be more prone to punctures as it has been used more (and the rubber gets thinner).

On the question on how many punctures a tyre can take, it depends on the stage of usage of the tyre, as well as the proximity of punctures.
Other than this, the nature of rubber compound would also have a bearing on the number of punctures the tyre can live with - a soft compound tyre will possibly be better off with lesser punctures than a hard compound tyre will be.


Query - Since the rubber on tyres tends to harden with time, won't they be less prone to punctures towards end of their useful life (assuming they haven't worn out)?

[thoma]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

The basic fact is that 90% punctures occur in the last 10% of a tyres life.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Tyres tend to puncture more often towards the end of their lives.

Can you please enlighten me on why punctures tend to increase more towards the end of the tire's life? Is it statistics or science? If statistics there should be some science behind it.

My tires can go another 5-7k kms. But I've got another nail on the same tire which was puncture repaired just last week!

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by thoma

Can you please enlighten me on why punctures tend to increase more towards the end of the tire's life? Is it statistics or science? If statistics there should be some science behind it.

My tires can go another 5-7k kms. But I've got another nail on the same tire which was puncture repaired just last week!

When the tread is thicker many potentials punctures (ie nails) get thrown off and do not penetrate through. Weakening of the carcass may also have a role, but I doubt it.

[SnS_12]

Came across this article which says the following:

'If a tyre is punctured you need to change it with a new one and not repair it. Because a tyre that is repaired temporarily or permanently will have less performance and speed than a new tyre.'

– Hero Moto. Corp. (User manual of Hero Honda Karisma ZMR.)

Link to article: http://bikedetailspro.in/how-many-pu...less-tyre-take

Guess, if the sidewalls have got multiple punctures then it may be wise to change it. But, if its on the surface contact patch and there is no slow leakage of air, then its safe to continue using your tyre and no need to change it.

[Thebat]

This may be OT. Do those tiny stones lodged between the threads affect tire life in any way? The reason I ask. Is because the MRF ZVTVs on my Polo pick up a lot. Of stones which I didnt see on my previous car which was shod with accelere. I have made it a habit to remove as many as possible frequently but they seem to be getting stuck at a rapid pace, am I being paranoid and should I take it easy? Or is there any other solution for this? Sorry if I am deviating from the thread but I have had this doubt from a long time so couldn't resist asking.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

The basic fact is that 90% punctures occur in the last 10% of a tyres life.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Tyres tend to puncture more often towards the end of their lives.

Do you guys have any basis for these claims?

I find it easy to agree that a tyre might get punctured more frequently as the tread gets thinner with use, and the rubber also starts hardening with age.

However, my personal experiences have been contrary to these "facts". My brand new OEM tyres used to get punctured almost every week for a couple of months, and then, suddenly no more punctures for a long time, then again a couple of sporadic punctures, once in a few months. To be fair, every puncture had a nail or screw or some foreign object. But it was not that the frequency of punctures increased towards the end.

I've been through numerous sets of tyres in my driving experiences and these "facts" do not hold true in my case.

Would appreciate if you could back it up with some reference links.

[Ricky_63]

I used S Drives on my Vento Highline from day 1 - never had issues, though Gurgaon roads are bad in places & have a lot of building material & or hardware like nails / screws lying around.

I had maybe 6 punctures in 43000 kms of driving. Mostly nails & screws if they were long & went right thru the tyre. Puncture repairs held up well, no issues there.

Sidewall cuts / punctures are however another story. I never had a sidewall cut or damage. But I have seen badly cut tyres being repaired & fitted with tubes. Me thinks that is a dangerous practise.

I would be VERY uncomfortable if using a tyre with serious sidewall cut / repair. Not worth the risk

[rpunwani]

IMHO, any puncture repair to a tubeless tyre should be done from inside and not from outside. The tool used to create a hole in the tread damages the steel mesh and reduces the life & decreases the speed/load rating of the tyre. Needless to state that sidewall punctures are a lot more serious than on the tread.

I have had the sidewall of two tyres of my Passat damaged while driving through one of the under passes in Bangalore. Had to junk the tyres - extensive damage and no way to repair.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

Do you guys have any basis for these claims?

I find it easy to agree that a tyre might get punctured more frequently as the tread gets thinner with use, and the rubber also starts hardening with age.

However, my personal experiences have been contrary to these "facts". My brand new OEM tyres used to get punctured almost every week for a couple of months, and then, suddenly no more punctures for a long time, then again a couple of sporadic punctures, once in a few months. To be fair, every puncture had a nail or screw or some foreign object. But it was not that the frequency of punctures increased towards the end.

I've been through numerous sets of tyres in my driving experiences and these "facts" do not hold true in my case.

Would appreciate if you could back it up with some reference links.

My references are entirely based on my own experience with the recent set of OEM Tyres that I changed on the Yeti.
With age, the rubber hardens and there is wear and tear in parts.
When driving over roads like we have in Bangalore which are full of loose concrete jelly and nails and other construction debris - at least in the newer development areas in this city, my experience in the last one year has been several punctures.

I have no reference "links" to give. Speaking for myself, I don't need any more evidence than I have already experienced, which in turn, caused me to change all my tyres.

[NiInJa]

I think its difficult have a basis for the claim of more punctures at the end of lifecycle. Our family's Beat D never got punctured even once for the last 45000 kms, but when it did last month, I decided to change the tyres as they had run enough and become very hard. (Good Year)

My wife's Brio was just 13000 km on the odo and it already had 3 punctures on three different tyres. (MRF Zvtv). Its probably based on where the car is driven.

But yes, I feel that if a tyre has enough punctures (more than 3 or 4 ) its better to replace the tyre completely as it gives peace to your mind that the car is safe at high speeds. Tyres with side-wall punctures should be avoided completely. Moreover, side wall punctures occur rarely unless the local 'tyre-walla' is playing some tricks with your tyre.